Theft of license plates or registration stickers for vehicles is a common problem. Stolen license plates can be used to conceal ownership of vehicles used in criminal activities, and prevent identification of traffic offenders by traffic or toll booth cameras. One common aftermarket solution relies on proprietary locking mechanisms or frames for the vehicle license plate. Even simpler solutions use torx or other uncommon screw types to affix a license plate.
Digital alternatives to license plates also exist. One potential apparatus for creating, storing, and processing vehicle data is available in conjunction with dynamic display that presents vehicle identification and registration information and can be arranged on the exterior of a vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,007,193, and pending published US Patent application US20130006775, both assigned to ReviverMX, describe a dynamic display that improves updateability of vehicle identification and registration information by use of a digital license plate. In one described embodiment in those references, various modes for actuating a display to indicate stolen vehicles are available.
Unfortunately, like conventional license plates, it is possible to remove digital license plates for unauthorized and illegal uses. Systems and features that discourage theft, or prevent illegal use of digital license plates, would increase government and public acceptance of digital license plates.